Fathers
by dawn341
Summary: When a stranger rides into town, things may never be the same again.


Fathers by Dawn Cunningham

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Chris Larabee paused in his stroll down the boardwalk as he spotted the stranger riding into town. It wasn't all that unusual of an occurrence anymore, with more and more settlers and businessmen coming into town now that word had gotten out about the seven Peacekeepers who protected the area.

The town was growing, that was a fact. It was almost enough to make him want to jump on his horse and head for someplace less settled. Less civilized.

But for now, he had a job to do. He leaned up against a post, his green eyes squinting into the sun as he studied the man riding down the street. Late 50's, tall, lean, but wiry. His clothes were nondescript, mostly tan-colored, except for the blue shirt just barely visible under the leather jacket. Brown hair curled under the edges of his dark hat. The six-gun worn low on his leg told him more than anything. This was no settler or businessman. No young gunman looking to make his mark by taking on someone with a reputation. A possible bounty hunter, maybe a gun for hire. Either could spell trouble. Or he could just be passing through.

Chris watched as the man pulled up his roan in front of the livery. He dismounted with a fluid motion, pulling his rifle out of the scabbard as he did so. Chris tensed up, but when the stranger casually held the rifle under one arm while pulling off his saddlebags and bedroll he relaxed slightly. The other man turned and scanned the street for several minutes, pausing a moment longer when he spotted the black-clad gunman who was obviously watching him. The two men stared at each other, sizing each other up. The stranger turned away first when Yosemite came out of the barn to take the horse's reins. Pulling a coin out of his pocket, the stranger flipped it toward the stableman who deftly caught it before leading the man's horse into the barn.

The stranger headed back toward Chris, although he kept to the other side of the street. He went on past the Peacekeeper's post without even turning his head. Finally he turned into the hotel, and disappeared from sight. Chris didn't relax his vigil, but he did move back into the growing shadows. Pulling a cheroot from his pocket, he quickly lit it, and settled in to wait, while mentally reviewing where the other Peacekeepers were.

He knew Ezra Standish, the gambler and conman of the group, was in the saloon, holding court at his favorite table. J.D. Dunne, the youngest member, and still very much a greenhorn, should be down at the jail-it was his turn at that duty. More than likely Buck Wilmington, the ladies man, was there, too. Those two seemed to gravitate toward each other when at loose ends. If not, Buck could be shacked up with some woman. With the way the man catted around, that could be anywhere. Nathan Jackson, their healer, could also be anywhere. He was often called on to help out those who were injured or ill. The same was true for Josiah Sanchez, the spiritual one of the group, although sometimes he turned to the wrong kind of spirits. He couldn't remember them mentioning any plans to leave town that day. That probably meant that Josiah was working on his church, and Nathan was at his clinic, where he often spent his spare time studying medical books. That left Vin Tanner, the tracker, and sharpshooter. The young man had taken off that morning to do some repairs out at Miss Nettie's place. However, he should be returning soon.

Chris continued watching until the stranger finally came back out of the hotel. The man looked up and down the street, then casually strolled over to the saloon. He peered inside for a moment, then pushed open the batwing doors and entered the place. Larabee waited a few more moments before heading over to the hotel. Going inside, he went over to the desk clerk who turned pale as he approached.

"I was going to come tell you, Mr. Larabee," the young man blurted out before Chris could say anything. "Just as soon as I could."

Chris frowned. "Tell me what?"

"Look." The desk clerk turned the ledger around and pointed to the last entry.

James Vincent Tanner, Texas.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Josiah's quick glance out the window of his church sent him scrambling for his gun. Chris was striding down the boardwalk, not hurrying exactly, but it was fairly obvious that something was going on. He couldn't see the gunslinger's face, but the fact that most of the townpeople cleared out of his way as soon as they saw him coming just confirmed his fears. Josiah left his church, and hurried to join him.

"Problem?" Josiah asked.

"Maybe." With that terse reply, Chris reached for the door of the jail, and went inside, Josiah following close behind.

"Well, howdy, boys!" Buck greeted them in his usual jovial tone, before returning to study the checkerboard situated between himself and the youngest member of their group.

J.D. looked puzzled. "I thought Nathan was on duty next. Besides it's not time yet."

Chris wasted no time. "Vin ever mention having any kinfolk still alive?"

The other three men exchanged glances, before each shook their head.

"He's never really talked about his family," Josiah said. "I guess I assumed that he had no one." Surely Vin would have mentioned something when they'd talked about Josiah's own family, and its problems.

"He ain't said nothin' to me about havin' kin," Buck said. "But he don't talk much 'bout himself."

"Me neither," J.D. added.

Chris pulled off his hat, and ran a hand through his blond hair. Surely Vin would have mentioned having kin to one of these men? At least to J.D.-the kid had a tendency to ask a lot of questions and never seemed to realize that people might not want to talk about their past. Of course, the tracker was pretty close-mouthed about his business, too.

"What's up, Chris?" Buck asked, a frown crossing his face.

"Maybe it's nothing... Someone just registered at the hotel as James Vincent Tanner..."

"You think he's Vin's pa?" J.D. burst out excitedly.

Chris didn't answer for a moment, then came to a decision. "Buck, ride out toward Miz Nettie's and... let Vin know about this guy..." He'd almost said warn Vin, but he wasn't sure whether there was anything to warn him about. Vin might know who this man was. Or it might just be a total coincidence that the stranger had ridden into town, and he might have nothing to do with Vin. There had to be plenty of Tanners in the world. That didn't make them related to the young sharpshooter. "I'm going over to the saloon, and see what I can find out. Until we know more, let's not say anything."

Buck nodded and stood up. He reached for his hat, and coat, then headed out the door.

"I'll let Brother Nathan know what is happening," Josiah said, also heading outside.

Chris nodded at J.D. then left as well, heading for the saloon.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Ezra Standish assessed the stranger who had just entered the saloon. He continued to shuffle a deck of cards to pass the time, occasionally pulling out the ace of spades from the deck, then returning it. The man walked on past his table, and up to the bar where he ordered a beer from Inez. Once he was served, he turned around and surveyed the room, drinking occasionally from the mug while he did. When the beer was half gone, he strolled over to Ezra.

"Interested in a game of poker?" he asked.

"I would be pleased to accommodate you, suh," Ezra drawled, as he nodded toward the empty chairs. With nimble fingers he finished shuffling the cards and started to deal as the man sat down.

"Name's Jim Tanner," the man announced casually as he extracted money from a wallet and placed it on the table in front of him.

It took all of Ezra's years of practice at subterfuge to keep from fumbling the cards in surprise. "Ezra Standish," he calmly answered back, setting down the deck, and picking up his hand.

He carefully studied the newcomer, making sure it wasn't obvious as he looked at his cards. The blue eyes and the curly hair reminded him of Vin, but that was hardly conclusive. How many times had he looked at men, looking for some resemblance to himself? How many times had he looked for green eyes that would be so like his own? How many times had he been disappointed when he'd been unable to prove someone who looked somewhat like him was his father.

They had played a few hands before Ezra decided to seek out more information. "So, what brings you to this not-so-charming metropolis?" he asked, almost certain of the answer.

"Lookin' for someone."

Ezra almost smiled. Sometimes people were so predictable. Next the man would declare he was looking for his long lost son, but it was also one of the oldest cons in the world. He'd used it once himself, in reverse, declaring he was looking for his real family. Said family was, of course, a very wealthy family, and there had been an article in the newspaper about a child who had disappeared years earlier. Of course, he hadn't known about the child's birthmark. When he couldn't display it, he was out the door so fast it made his head spin.

Of course, he had no idea why anyone would go to this effort to claim a relationship to Vin Tanner. It wasn't like the tracker had any wealth to speak of. Not unless you counted the five hundred dollar bounty on his head. That could lead to someone making false statements. Still, it was possible that the man really was some relation to Vin.

"Maybe I could be of some assistance in locating this person. I know all the townfolk, and most strangers who come through town usually visit the saloon at some point." Of course, Ezra had no intention of telling the man anything about Vin. He just had to figure out a way to make sure the other peacekeeper didn't stroll into the saloon while the stranger was still here. At least not until they knew what his game was.

"When I knew him, he was usin' the name of Harry Samuels, but he's used other names. That's why I'm havin' so much trouble trackin' him down. He'd be about my age and height, blond hair, blue eyes. What makes him stand out is a scar that runs down his right cheek."

It was so different from what Ezra had expected that he found himself struggling to maintain his poker face once again.

Just then Chris Larabee appeared at the door to the saloon. He scanned the interior for a moment, before entering. He gave a slight head tilt toward the stranger, followed by an even briefer nod to the gambler. Ezra returned an even briefer nod, indicating he knew something was up. Chris went to the bar, got a bottle and glass from Inez. For a moment it looked like he was going to join the two playing poker, but the gambler gave the gunman a slight frown. The last thing he wanted was to have someone else trying to assist him in what he did best. Chris glared back, before turning and heading to his favorite table instead. From there, he could watch everything going on in the saloon.

Ezra turned his attention back to the other man. "I do not believe I have had the pleasure of his acquaintance. Tell me, what has this miscreant done that keeps you searching for him?"

"Let's just say he ruined my life, and leave it at that," the stranger replied. "One of these days I'm gonna find him, and kill him."

"Well, I'm afraid you will have to continue your pursuance elsewhere, as that man has not been in this locale."

"Thanks, anyway." With those words, the man folded his cards, picked up his remaining money, and walked out of the saloon.

Ezra stared after him for a moment before standing. He went over and joined Chris at his table. "I assume you know who that man is?"

"Know what his name is," Chris replied, pouring himself another drink. "Don't know who he is. Pretty short card game." In one swift movement, he drained the shot glass.

"He was looking for information, but I could not help him in that regard."

"About Vin?"

"No. Although that is what I expected. He claims he is looking for a Harry Samuels, but he didn't give me the reason why."

"Doesn't sound like anyone I can think of," Chris said, after Ezra described the man. He glanced toward the doors. "There's Buck. He must've found Vin. Let's go see what he has to say."

The two men stood and headed outside. Buck was waiting for them, and nodded toward the jail. "I found him just outside town. Came in the back way so no one would spot him. He's waitin' in the jail along with everyone else."

Chris led the way back to the jailhouse, trying to make it appear as if he wasn't in any hurry when he really was. The last thing he wanted was for somebody to take notice and start asking questions. Especially like Mary Travis. The female publisher of the local paper always managed to stick her nose in where she wasn't wanted.

Although it sure was a pretty nose. He shook that thought off. He had more important things to worry about. As they entered the jail, he found the rest of the peacekeepers waiting for them. J.D. was sitting in the chair behind the desk, while Buck was actually sitting on the desk. Josiah and Nathan were occupying two of the other chairs, while Vin was standing, resting up against the wall where he could see out the window.

"You fill him in?" Chris asked.

"Yep," Buck replied.

"Ezra, you want to tell everyone what you found out?"

"Unfortunately, I was unable to ascertain much information. He appears to be searching for a miscreant by the name of Harry Samuels with the intent of killing him once he is found."

Chris turned toward the blue-eyed tracker. "Well?"

Vin just shrugged.

"Is he kin?"

Vin shrugged again. "Won't know till I talk ta him."

Chris wanted to throttle the man. "You ever hear the name before?"

Vin looked highly uncomfortable with the question. He looked around at the rest of the men before he muttered, "Was my pa's name. But I ain't seen him since I was four."

"Your Pa?" J.D. jumped into the conversation. "He's your pa?"

"Don't know fer sure. Reckon somebody could have the same name."

"But if he is your pa... that would be great!"

"How do you figure that?" Buck asked.

"Come on, Buck. You can't tell me that you wouldn't be excited if you found out who your pa was."

"Takes more than a romp in bed with a woman to make a man a pa," Buck said with a scowl.

Chris almost sighed. J.D. knew Buck's ma had been a working girl. There was little chance that he'd ever know who had been his father. But as usual, the young man had spoken before thinking about whether his questions would hurt.

"Now be honest, Buck," J.D. persisted. "Haven't you ever looked at someone who looked a little like you and wondered if he was your pa?"

"Yeah, I've thought about it, but there's no way I'd ever know for sure," Buck finally admitted. "My ma had lots of... suitors."

"But if you could know, wouldn't you like to meet the man?"

"Ain't about me, boy. This is about Vin." Buck took a less than playful swipe at J.D.'s head, which the younger man easily ducked.

Undaunted, J.D. looked at the other men. "What about you, Ezra?"

The gambler looked away. "What about me?"

"Wouldn't you like to find your pa?"

"Whatever makes you think that I do not know my sire?" Ezra protested.

"You've never talked about him. Figured you didn't know who he was."

Buck laughed. "He never talked about Maude either... until she showed up here one day."

J.D. snickered at that. Maude had definitely been a force to contend with. "Well, Ezra? Do you know your pa?"

Chris watched as Ezra's eyes darted from one person to the next. He could tell the gambler was finding it uncomfortable to be under the scrutiny of six other men.

"No. I have never had the privilege of meeting the man. He must have been very intelligent to stay as far away from Maude as possible."

"Maude never told you anything about him?" Josiah asked.

Ezra pulled out his deck of cards and started shuffling, a sure sign of his agitation. "She has told me quite a bit about him," he finally said. "Unfortunately, I have no confidence that any of it is true." He paused for a moment and his eyes flicked toward the door, as if seeking escape. Finally, he continued. "Especially since she has changed the name and occupation of my sire on several occasions when it suited her."

Chris knew how hard that admission had to be. He tried to imagine what it would feel like to never know who his father was. And even worse to have his mother lie about it.

"What about you, J.D.?" Chris asked. The young man had often talked about his mother, but not anything about a father.

J.D. looked down. "Ma would never tell me who my father was."

Buck clapped him on his back. "Well, then, ya fit right in, boy! I think we all did just fine without having pas."

"Yeah, but I'd still like to know who he was. I'd give anything to be able to find out about him. To talk to him," he added in a low tone.

Ezra put his deck of cards away, then tugged at the cuffs of his jacket sleeves, pulling them down. "I'm sure I would be highly disappointed if I ever met mine. What about you, Mr. Wilmington?"

"Don't know if I would want to know. Like you said, Ez, what if I was disappointed? Better to not know, then to know and be unhappy about it."

Chris decided to put a stop to this conversation. No one looked too happy about it. "This isn't getting us anywhere. We need to decide what to do about this man."

"Reckon I'll go talk ta him," Vin said as he straightened up.

"Don't think that would be a good idea," Chris protested. "We don't know who he is, or what he wants. All we know is what he's told Ezra-and that wasn't much."

"Maybe I should try to ascertain more information," Ezra suggested.

"How you plannin' on doin' that?" Nathan asked, joining the conversation for the first time. "You didn't find out much when you gabbed with him earlier."

"I hardly would call our conversation as 'gabbing'," Ezra protested. "However, I could inform the man that I might have more information about the miscreant he is searching for, but need to make sure it is the correct person before I would reveal anything."

"Might work," Chris said, thinking it through. "Maybe over dinner. Less chance of him running off until he finishes eating."

"I can handle this, cowboy," Vin stated firmly.

"Let us handle this, Vin. At least for now. If Ezra doesn't find out any more, then we can talk to him."

Vin didn't look too happy, but he finally nodded.

Ezra saluted the man with two fingers to his hat brim, then headed out on his mission.

"Reckon a drink would be real good about now," Buck suggested. "How about goin' over to Inez's while we wait?"

"All right," Chris agreed. It was as good a place as anywhere to wait. He figured the man wouldn't come back to the bar so soon after leaving.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

"How 'bout a little stroll in the moonlight?" Buck cajoled as Inez placed drinks on the table in front of each man. "There's a full moon tonight-should be real purty. What do ya say?"

"I would be loco if I went out with you during a full moon," Inez snapped back before turning away with a swish of her long dark hair.

"Whoo whee! She didn't say no to the walk-just to doing it durin' a full moon. Soon, boys. Real soon." Buck grinned widely at the rest of the Peacekeepers.

"Yeah, right," J.D. snorted out. "Give it up, Buck. She ain't gonna go no where with you."

"You just wait. You'll see." Buck took a sip of his beer as he studied the pretty barmaid who was cleaning glasses behind the bar.

Chris just smirked. When it came to women, Buck just didn't know when to take no for an answer. He looked around the table at the rest of the men. Only Ezra was missing, off working on his mission. Except for J.D. and Buck, everyone else kept quiet. That wasn't unusual for Vin, but even he seemed quieter than normal. The tracker seemed to have an inordinate amount of interest in his beer, which he wasn't even drinking.

"It's an interesting idea," Josiah finally said, as he studied his own drink. "What would it be like to meet your father after years of being apart? My father and I didn't see eye to eye and we separated with such harsh feelings between us. He felt that I was abandoning my religion. I felt he was a hypocrite because of his religion. Time has made me more understanding of his views. I wonder if he would have been more understanding of mine."

"I'm glad I had mo' time with my pa," Nathan said. His father had recently died from consumption-the only thing that had saved him from the hangman's noose. The ex-slave had found, and killed the man who'd murdered his wife twenty years earlier. As a slave, there had been little he could do about it at the time. "He could've died befo' he'd told me the truth about ma. Thought he'd let them take her from us without complainin'. I didn't respect him. Now I know he was tryin' to keep me-that she was already dead befo' we was sent off. The truth helped me respect him, again."

"What about you, Chris?" Buck asked. "I know your pa died more than eight years ago. Would you want to meet up with him after all these years?"

Chris thought about it for a while. "I don't know. We often clashed while I was growing up. We were both pretty hot-headed. After the war, we didn't see much of each other, though we did write now and then. I reckon he'd be disappointed in how I ended up."

"Don't see why," Vin chimed in. "Reckon he'd be purty proud of ya."

"Yeah. I think any man would be proud to call you son," J.D. added.

Chris almost sighed. J.D. still had a bad case of hero worship. He wasn't sure what Vin's reason for his statement was-he thought the tracker had more brains than that. "I'm a gunfighter, J.D. I've killed people for no better reason than they challenged me. Back in Indiana, that would make me little better than a murderer. Not sure that my pa would see it any different."

"To say nothin' about yer drinkin' and carousin'," Buck threw in.

"Yer different now," Vin pointed out. "Cain't tell me yer not."

"'Cept for the drinkin' and carousin'... well maybe not so much carousin' any more," Buck chipped in again.

Chris glared at Buck while he pondered Vin's statement. Was he different now? Sure, he was upholding the law right now, but he could still be challenged at any time. And he wouldn't hesitate to respond to that challenge. And he had no doubt that if he ever found the woman responsible for the killing of his family, that he would exact his revenge without a qualm. The fact that he and Ella Gaines had been lovers would not stay his hand the next time. Still, when he looked back at things he'd done, he knew he'd handle them differently now. He just shrugged in reply, then pulled his hat down lower in front, ending this line of questioning.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Ezra paused by the table where Jim Tanner was sitting. "May I join you?" he asked. "I deplore dining by myself."

The man looked around the dining room. "Plenty of other people you can eat with," he said before turning his attention back to his plate.

Ezra almost couldn't believe his ears. Still, he wasn't ready to give up. "Actually, I have been making some inquiries and I might have discovered some information about this Samuels that you are looking for. I thought we could discuss it over dinner."

The man looked up at him, staring with his blue eyes that seemed so cold. "Why would you be askin' around? Ain't no money in it. What are you after, Standish?"

Maude had been right. He was losing his touch. If he couldn't con this rough-looking man, then he wouldn't be able to con anyone. "Well, I... I just thought that..." Great, now he couldn't even string a sentence together. He took a deep breath, and started again. "I thought you would be appreciative of any information that I could gather."

"Do you know where Samuels is?" Tanner asked.

"Well, not exactly."

"Then we have nothing more to talk about." Tanner wiped his mouth with his napkin, then stood up. "Hope you enjoy your dinner." Without a backward glance, he left the dining room, heading for the stairs leading to the rooms.

Standish sighed. Once again he had failed. How was he going to tell the others?

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Vin looked up as Ezra entered the saloon. "Looks like Ez didn't get what he went for," he said calmly, before taking another sip of his beer.

"How can you tell?" J.D. asked.

"Can jest tell," Vin replied.

"Yep," Chris agreed.

J.D. just shook his head. "How can you tell?" he asked again, frustration filling his voice.

"Gotta learn ta read people, J.D.," Vin said. "How they stand. How they walk. How they talk. Where their eyes are lookin'. Can learn a lot that way."

"Takes years of experience," Buck added. "Something you don't have."

J.D. sighed, and flounced back in his chair, as Ezra joined them.

"It would seem that the senior Mr. Tanner is just as suspicious as the younger one," Ezra stated. "I was unable to learn any new information, nor do I think he would converse with me in the future."

"Reckon I'll go talk ta him," Vin stated.

"And if it's a trap?" Chris demanded. His gut told him that something was wrong, but he didn't have any more than that to go on.

Vin shrugged. "He's jest one man. What can he do ta me with the rest of ya watchin' my back?"

Chris had to admit that was true. As long as they all watched out for Vin, he should be safe. Sooner or later, the stranger would reveal his true purpose here, and they would be ready.

"He's staying in room 5," Chris said.

Vin stood up. He nodded to the rest, then left the saloon. While knowing and understanding the need for sneaking around to get information, sometimes the direct approach was the best way to handle things. Crossing the street, he entered the hotel, and climbed the stairs to the second floor. He paused for a moment outside the door, then sharply rapped on it. He listened as steps crossed the room to the door, and he moved back, one hand resting on his sawed-off rifle.

When the door opened, Vin studied the man. He had to admit there was a likeness. If only he could remember what his father had looked like, but he had left so long ago, that he knew it would be impossible to remember. He barely remembered his mother who had died when he was only five. His father had disappeared more than a year before that.

"Name's Vin Tanner," he finally stated, watching the man's face intently.

He flinched slightly at the name, but that was it. "And?"

"Was born in a little town called Summerfield, Texas."

That statement caused more reaction. "Was... was your Ma's name Meg?" he asked hoarsely.

Vin just nodded.

"It can't be... it's not possible..." The man looked like he had been blindsided. "He told me you died, shortly after your ma. He said the putrid fever took you both."

"Who is 'he'?" Vin asked.

"Harry Samuels. Damn him to hell!" His closed fist struck the door frame in anger. "I should have been there for you!"

Vin heard someone climbing the stairs. It could be one of his friends coming to check on him, or it could be a stranger. "Maybe we can discuss this inside," he suggested.

"Of course," Jim Tanner stood aside and waved Vin into the room, closing the door behind him. "Have a seat," he said, pointing to the only chair in the room before sitting on the edge of the bed.

The two men studied each other in silence. Jim spoke first. "You look like your ma."

Vin just shrugged. "Don't remember her that well. I was awful young when she died."

"So that much was true," Jim murmured. "Meg is dead." Jim pulled a watch out of his pocket, pressed on the top and it popped open. He passed it over to Vin who studied the photo of a young woman opposite the clock face. He realized it was his mother. He fought back the tears he felt forming in his eyes at this reminder of his past.

After staring at the picture for several minutes, he turned his attention to the watch. It looked familiar-like he'd seen it before. He could almost picture a man pulling it out of his pocket, and opening it. Of him holding it up to Vin's ear to hear it tick, being told to not touch.

"It's all I have left of her. It was her father's watch, and she gave it to me after we were married. She had to travel quite a distance to get her photo taken," Jim said after Vin had passed the watch back. He studied the photo for another moment before closing the watch and putting it back in his pocket. "Where did you go after your ma died?"

"Went ta live with a great-uncle for a while. He didn't take kindly ta being stuck with a kid." Vin paused as he recalled that hellish time of his life. Being ignored for the most part at first. Asked to do a man's work when he was just a boy. Being beaten for not doing something right. With a great effort, he forced himself back to the present. "When I was old enough I took off on my own." He wasn't going to share those memories with this stranger... even if he was his pa. Not that he was totally convinced that he was.

"I'm sorry... I should have been there... would have there if it hadn't been for Samuels."

"Who is Samuels?" Vin asked.

"He was in the Texas Rangers with me. We were on a patrol near the Mexico border trying to find some cattle and horse rustlers. We followed their trail down near the border, when the next thing I know, Samuels is pointin' his gun at me, and telling me to throw mine down. Then he led us right to the rustlers' camp. Turns out Samuels had been helping them avoid Ranger patrols. All the animals were being taken into Mexico and turned over to some rich patrón that lived in one of those fancy haciendas. He had a lot of friends and I found myself in prison for rustlin'. There was a trial but it was pretty much a mockery."

"Surprised they didn't jest shoot ya or hang ya," Vin commented.

"I think he wanted to get revenge and seein' me sufferin' in prison was better than me being dead. You see, we both courted your ma... but Meg married me. I thought he was over it, but I was wrong. He must have been waitin' for just the right moment to take his revenge. I heard that he told Meg that I had been killed. Probably figured she would fall into his arms in her grief. Maybe she would have eventually-I don't know."

Jim started pacing around the room. "He came to see me several times in that Mexican hellhole. Told me Meg had died. Then told me you had died. I just about went crazy. I spent almost ten years there. Probably still be there except a bunch of us managed to escape finally. Been huntin' Samuels ever since. Never expected to run into you." Jim moved to stand in front of Vin. "My son," he murmured. He reached out a hand to touch Vin's hair.

Vin couldn't stop flinching back. He didn't like being touched. Especially by a stranger.

Jim pulled his hand back quickly. He turned away. "I'm sorry... we're still strangers. Can't expect you to even remember me." He ran his hand through his hair. "I need a drink."

Vin nodded in agreement. "Why don't we go down ta the saloon and get one?" He needed time to absorb what he just heard, and by this time his friends were probably starting to worry about him.

Together they headed back downstairs and over to Inez's saloon. As they crossed the road he saw Chris leaning up against a post outside the saloon staring toward the hotel. He walked by without acknowledging him. He knew Chris would continue to watch his back, and didn't want Jim Tanner to know they were friends yet. Once inside he immediately spotted the other five peacekeepers sitting at a table. He turned away and walked over to another table, as Chris entered and joined the rest. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw J.D. start to stand but Chris pushed him back down in his seat. Trust Chris to know he didn't want company yet.

"What can I get you?" Inez asked as she approached the table.

"Bottle of whiskey," Jim Tanner ordered. He glanced over at Vin who just nodded.

"Right away, Senor," she responded. She headed behind the bar, returning with two glasses and a bottle.

Jim poured out drinks for both of them, and then quickly grabbed his glass and drained it, before filling it up again. Vin just sipped at his. Best to keep a level head. He couldn't decide whether to believe Jim Tanner or not. Vin didn't believe in coincidences like his pa just riding into the town where he lived. But what could he gain by lying?

"Tell me 'bout my ma," Vin said, when the silence between the two seemed to go on forever.

Jim pulled his watch out again, opening it to study the picture once more. "She was beautiful. She loved to dance and sing. And she was feisty. If she got riled up, watch out. She threw a plate of food at me one night when I made the mistake of saying that the fried chicken was a little overdone. She yelled that if I had been on time, it would have been perfect, and I could make my own next time." Jim grinned. "I slept in the barn that night."

That story seemed to dredge up Vin's memories. He could almost hear his ma screaming in anger. The crash of the plate hitting the floor. Did he really remember it? Was this something he really had witnessed? Or was it another incident? Or just a dream? Was this man really his father? Did he really have living kin? He'd been alone for so long... that was until he came to this town. For the first time he had felt like he belonged. And he and Chris... it was almost like having a brother... no make that six brothers. But they weren't kin. Vin drained his glass and held it out for a refill.

"So, what do you do?" Jim asked as he poured out more whiskey.

"Right now, I'm one of the Peacekeepers here," Vin answered.

"A lawman... just like your pa," Jim answered, pride ringing in his voice.

"More or less," Vin agreed. "No badge, jest keepin' peace. In fact, it's time for me to go on patrol." He knew any of the other six would take his patrol if asked-even Ezra although he would do it while complaining the whole time. But he could use the time alone to try to come to grips with what he'd heard.

Jim looked disappointed. "Can we talk more tomorrow?" he asked.

Vin nodded. "Come over ta the jail in the mornin'. I usually hang out there after breakfast."

"All right." Jim got to his feet as Vin did, and together they walked out of the saloon.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Ezra studied his drink as he sat alone in the saloon. The rest of the Peacekeepers had headed off on their own pursuits after Vin had left the saloon. Too bad there wasn't anyone around to play a game of poker. That would keep his mind occupied.

Instead he found himself thinking about his own father. Maybe if he asked Maude now, she would be more truthful. He wouldn't admit it to the others, but he had often wondered what the man had been like. He wasn't even sure what his father's name had been. Maude had used many different names depending on which con she had been pulling. At least Vin had that much.

Movement of the batwing doors drew his attention to the front of the saloon. Ezra wasn't surprised to see Vin enter the bar. This time, he headed right to the table where Ezra was drinking. He pulled up a chair and sat down with a sigh.

"Problems?" Ezra asked, knowing Vin had been on patrol.

"Nope."

"Are you sure? Maybe with a man named Jim Tanner? If you wish to talk about it..." Ezra's voice trailed off. Why would Vin wish to discuss it with him? The last time Vin had taken him into his confidence about his poetry, he'd laughed at him.

"Don't know how I feel about it," Vin said, surprising Ezra. "He's a stranger... but he's kin." He sighed. "Cain't blame him fer not being there for us when he was in a Mexican prison fer ten years."

"Is that his story? And you believe it?"

Vin shrugged. "Why would he lie? He knows things... about my ma..."

"Indeed," Ezra murmured. "Did he say what he wanted?"

"Jest passin' through, huntin' the man who betrayed him."

"And he wants your help?" Ezra reached for his glass again.

Vin looked startled at the idea. "He hasn't said anything... but if he's kin... and he needs my help..." his voice trailed off.

Ezra choked on his drink. Was Vin thinking about leaving here to go with this total stranger?

"Closing time, gentlemen," Inez announced from behind the bar.

Ezra finished off his drink in one gulp. "Good night, Mr. Tanner," he said as the tracker headed out to his wagon. After a moment, he headed to his own room, while still contemplating the idea that they might be losing one of their group.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Vin wandered into the jail, heading straight for the stove and the coffee pot on the top. He poured himself a cup, as he nodded a greeting to the youngest of their group.

"Mornin', J.D.," he said after his first sip. "Any problems?"

"Quiet night," J.D. replied. "So was he your pa?"

Vin struggled to not roll his eyes. J.D. was always full of questions, even with things that weren't really his business.

"Reckon so. Has a watch with my ma's picture in it. Guess that's proof enough."

"Wow! I'd like to see her picture. Does she look like you?"

"Well, my... he says so." Vin couldn't quite use the word 'pa' yet. "Maybe you'll get a chance ta see it. He's gonna come down here after breakfast. Told him I'd meet him here. Guess I'll wait outside." It was his favorite way to start the day. While everything was still fairly quiet... when you could hear the birds singing... it was the best time to be outside.

"I'll join you," J.D. said, already bouncing toward the door. "Did he tell you all about himself?" J.D. asked looking back over his shoulder. "What his plans are? Is he going to hang around for a while? I think it's so wonderful that your pa just rode into town..."

Vin silently sighed. So much for enjoying the quiet. As he left the jailhouse, he saw Jim Tanner headed in his direction.

"Look, Vin, it's your pa!" J.D. exclaimed. "Hello, I'm J.D. Dunne," he welcomed the newcomer as he drew closer.

"Jim Tanner."

"Vin's pa. He said you had a picture of his ma."

Jim pulled the watch out of his pocket and opened it. He held it out where J.D. could see it but did not pass it over. "It's very old... belonged to Vin's grandpa..."

"Wow, Vin, she sure was pretty," J.D. said.

"Yep, she was," Vin agreed. "Ain't it time fer you ta take a look around?" he hinted, wanting to be alone with Jim Tanner.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, uh... right. Uh... time to take a look around," J.D. muttered. "It was nice meeting you."

They watched him head down the street before sitting down.

"Tell me more about my ma," Vin asked.

"It was so long ago... don't know what more I can say. My years with her just seem like a dream, now."

Vin sighed, wanting to know more but not even knowing what to ask.

"You were a handful," Jim continued. "Headstrong... curious... you wanted to be on a horse even before you could walk. You even wanted to use my gun early on... Caught you draggin' my rifle out the door one day... You stuck out your bottom lip and said you were going to go huntin'." He paused for a moment, studying the street. "So, what have you been doin' with your life?"

Vin debated how much to say. "Lived with the Indians fer a while... buffalo hunter... bounty hunter... then here." No need to bring up the Tascosa troubles.

Silence settled down between them for a while.

Finally, Vin spoke. "Tell me more about Samuels. Maybe I've heard somethin' 'bout him."

"He's about my age and height, blond hair, blue eyes. Got a scar that runs down his right cheek."

"Don't sound like anyone I know," Vin replied, thinking back over his time in the area. "What makes you think he might be around here?"

"A lot of my old friends from the Rangers are keepin' an eye out for him. If any of them get any info, they send a telegram to my old base station. I keep them posted on where I'm at, and they send on info to me. A few weeks ago, there was some cattle rustlin' about sixty miles east of here. They stopped them but some of the rustlers got away. There was a blond among them that might have been Samuels. And he was headed in this direction."

"Ain't seen any rustlin' around here," Vin commented. "'Course, he may need ta get a new gang together."

"True."

"How long you been lookin' for him?"

"Took me a few years to recover from that prison hellhole. Started looking after that, didn't really hit on his trail until a year or so ago. Feel like I've lived in a saddle forever, since then."

"Know the feelin'," Vin said. He took another sip of his coffee as they both watched people going by.

Finally, Jim Tanner spoke. "I hate to say this, but I need to be headin' out soon. I can't rest until I find Harry Samuels-make him pay for what he's done. I'd like to spend more time with you but I can't let the trail go cold, either."

"Which way you headed?"

"Been checking out saloons-Samuels can't seem to pass up a poker game. Don't know if he's got this far or not, but I'll probably head south, work my way down to Purgatorio... Ask around down there." He glanced over at Vin. "Could use some help. If you've been a bounty hunter, you know what needs to be done..."

Vin couldn't say he was surprised at the request. After his conversation with Ezra the night before, he had been thinking of little else. Did he want to leave here to go hunting again? Leave his friends behind? But could he refuse a request from kin?

He glanced down the street and saw trouble headed their way. A few minutes later, Chris Larabee joined them. Dressed in his typical black attire, he glared at Jim Tanner. It didn't even bother the man.

"Jim Tanner," he calmly announced.

"Chris Larabee. Be staying long?" he asked bluntly.

"Why? You the sheriff in this town?" Jim Tanner snapped back.

"No, but I have something to say about who hangs around," Chris replied.

"And an ex-Texas Ranger isn't someone you want hangin' around?" He looked Chris up and down. "But a gunslinger is?"

"This one is," Chris growled. "Judge appointed us to watch over this town, and the people that live here."

"In that case, no, I'm not staying long. In fact, think I'll go buy some supplies that I need before I leave." He rose from his chair and calmly walked away.

"Geez, Larabee... did ya have to scare him away," Vin said with a smirk.

Chris glared at Vin for a moment, then sank down in the empty chair. "Didn't seem too scared, to me. What's his story?"

"Says he's my pa. Lookin' for the man-Harry Samuels-who betrayed him, and landed him in a Mexican prison."

"So much for being a Texas Ranger. Nothing worse than a bad lawman. What did he do to end up in prison?"

"He weren't a bad lawman. Only Samuels was breakin' the law," Vin explained, bristling a little at the condemnation in Larabee's voice. "He's helpin' cattle and horse rustlers. My pa caught him at it, but Samuels got the drop on him and turned him over to some Mexican guys who put him in prison to keep him outta the way."

"You sure he's your father?"

Vin shrugged. "Seems to know a lot. Cain't think of a reason for him to lie to me." He glanced over at Chris. "Wants me to go with him to help him hunt down Samuels."

"And what do you want? Even if he's your father, doesn't mean you have to do what he says. You're not a child anymore."

"True... but he's kin."

Chris couldn't understand Vin and his fixation on kinfolk. It had been the same when his father-in-law had been in trouble. He hadn't missed the disapproving look Vin had given him, when he refused to help. He'd like to think he would have come back anyway, but he knew a lot had to do with not disappointing Vin.

"Just think about who you owe more loyalty to-this town, and your friends, or this stranger who might be your father." Chris paused. "What about Miz Nettie? You do a lot of work out there-who's going to do it if you take off."

Vin looked thoughtful, and Chris decided that he'd made his point. "Think about it before you make any decision." With that, Chris stood up and headed down the boardwalk.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Chris positioned himself outside the general store when he saw Jim Tanner was still inside. A few minutes later, he walked out, still closing his saddlebags which he must have retrieved from his room after talking to Vin.

He glared at Larabee. "You followin' me around?"

Chris drew close, and spoke in a low, determined voice. "Don't know if Vin is going with you or not... but if he does, you'd better watch his back. If anything happens to him, your time in a Mexican prison will seem like heaven," he warned. "Might be best if you just take off now without him."

"He's a big boy, Larabee. He can make up his own mind. I won't stop him from leaving with me if he wants to."

"Just remember what I said. And I won't be the only one hunting you down. There are five others who will be riding with me." Chris spun on his heel and stomped away, his spurs clinking with every step. He headed into the bar and was soon downing his first drink.

A few minutes later, Ezra and Buck joined him. It was early for the gambler to be around, and Chris raised an eyebrow questioning his appearance at what the gambler would consider an 'unconscionable hour of the day'.

Ezra wasted no time. "I talked with Vin after his patrol last night. He seems to believe the man is his father."

"Yep," Chris muttered. "Just talked to them both. Vin's thinking about riding out with him. Wants to help him find this man, Samuels."

"Ain't surprisin'," Buck replied. "Vin would consider it his duty to help out."

"But he's a stranger!" Ezra protested.

"He's his pa," Buck said. "Do you really think he would do anything else?"

Ezra thought about it for a moment. "No, not really." He sighed. "It looks like we might be losing one of our number."

Chris just scowled as he contemplated it.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

After lunch, Vin decided a ride out of town might make his decision clearer. As he approached the stables, he saw Jim Tanner sitting on a bench nearby. He paused in front of him.

"Goin' for a ride... wanna come along?" he asked.

"Spent too many hours in a saddle and once I leave I'll be spendin' more hours. Think I'll pass." He glanced past Vin. "Surprised Larabee's lettin' you ride out alone. Sure acts like he's in charge of you." He tilted his head down the street.

Vin glanced back. There was Chris, standing on the other side of the street, watching them. "Maybe he's watchin' you," Vin commented, although he wasn't so sure. He was getting a little annoyed at the gunslinger's treatment of Jim Tanner.

"You made up your mind yet?" Jim asked. "I'm leavin' tomorrow morning. Or do you need Larabee's permission?" he taunted. "Are you a little boy or a man?"

"I kin make up my own mind," Vin snapped back. "If I ain't there when yer ready to leave, I won't be comin'." He turned and continued on to the stables.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Vin quickly rode out of town, not quite sure who he was most annoyed with-Chris Larabee or Jim Tanner. They were both treating him like a child. Almost without thinking, he found himself approaching Nettie's place.

As he rode up to her homestead, Nettie came outside to meet him.

"You forget somethin' yesterday?" she asked with a smile.

"Nope. Jest somethin' happened. Thought I should tell ya so ya don't hear it from someone else."

"Well, come on in," Nettie said. "I'll start a pot of stew simmerin' on the stove. Might as well eat supper here after you tell me the news."

Vin pulled out one of the chairs around the table, flipping it around and sitting down. He rested his arms on the back of the chair and watched Nettie bustle around the kitchen.

"So, what's your news?" Nettie asked. "I can listen and cook at the same time."

"Man rode into town and says he's my pa," Vin said bluntly.

Nettie spun around and stared at Vin. "My stars and garters! Did you know he was comin'?"

"Ain't seen him since I was four-before Ma died."

Nettie turned back to her work. "Well, if he ran out on you and your ma, he ain't much of a father."

"Says he was a Texas Ranger and his partner betrayed him-caused him to spend ten years in a Mexican prison. He thought we was both dead."

"And you believe him?"

Vin thought about it. "I guess so. Things he's said... well they've stirred up some memories."

Nettie placed the stewpot on the stove, then came over to sit down. "Now that he's found you, is he goin' to settle down here and git to know ya?"

"Nope. At least not right now. He's looking for his partner. Wants to bring him to justice." Vin looked down at his hands. "He's asked me to go along with him-help hunt the man down."

"You'd be a big help, that's fer sure. What do you want to do?"

"I'm torn, Nettie. I know I have a duty here... but he's kin. Don't I have a duty to him, too?"

"Cain't those other six yahoos keep peace until yer back? You are plannin' on comin' back, aren't ya?"

"Yep. Ain't plannin' on spendin' the rest of my life huntin' for this man, no matter what he's done. He might not even still be alive."

"Sounds like you've made up yer mind. And yer just takin' a break from yer job here. You'll be back in no time."

Vin realized he had made up his mind. He would help out his pa.

"We'll be leavin' tomorrow mornin'," he said. "Is there anythin' you need doin' round here 'fore I go?"

Nettie shook her head. "You did most of the chores yesterday. Casey and I will just have to manage until you get back."

"You need somethin', you get hold of Chris or Buck or J.D.. They'll help ya out," Vin promised. "I'll be sure to ask them to watch out for ya."

"That's not necessary," Nettie said, "but if we need somethin' that we can't handle, we'll let them know."

"In the meantime, I'll jest make sure your woodpile is plentiful." He rose to his feet and headed out to chop some wood.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

While there had been no plan to meet up, the Peacekeepers slowly joined up in the saloon later that night. Word that Vin might be leaving had spread amongst them as the day passed.

Once back in town, Vin had been aware that the rest of his friends were gathering in the saloon, and finally went to join them.

As he walked across the saloon to join the other six, he felt like every eye in the place was on him. He didn't like the feeling. He wondered how many of them knew his father had come to town, and that he was thinking about leaving with him. News spread around this town like a wildfire.

He pulled up a chair next to Chris, and sat down. The gunfighter slid the only empty glass closer to Vin, and reaching for the bottle in the middle of the table, filled it.

Vin drained the glass in one gulp, holding it out for a refill. This one, he sipped more slowly. He wasted no more time letting the rest know his decision. "Leavin' tomorrow mornin', early, with my... pa." It was still hard to get that word out. "I'll be back once we catch up with that snake, Samuels."

Everyone at the table looked stunned, except Chris-he just scowled. Josiah was the first to recover. "You'll be missed," he said.

"'Course he will," Buck said, reaching over to slap Vin's shoulder. "And you'll probably be back in a week or two."

"That's right," J.D. chipped in. "With your tracking skills, he won't stand a chance."

"Yes, our inestimable tracker will locate this ne'er-do-well without a moment's waste of time, and return here, forthwith," Ezra added.

"Just be sho' to take care of yo'self while yo' gone," Nathan tossed in.

"I'd 'preciate it if'n you or Buck would keep an eye out for Nettie, Chris," Vin said. "She says she can manage on her own, but I'd feel better knowin' someone is lookin' in on her."

"'Course we will," Buck said. "You don't need to worry about that. I'm sure J.D. will be willin' to ride out there a lot."

Chris glared at Vin for a moment, then offered, "Maybe I should go with you... watch your back."

Vin shook his head. The way Larabee and his pa were treating each other, it would probably not end up well. "Don't think that would be too smart. 'Sides, he used to be a Texas Ranger. I think we can handle most anythin' that comes along."

Chris drained his glass, then pushed back his chair forcibly. "Fine. If that's your decision. Just watch your back." He stalked out of the saloon.

Silence reigned for a few minutes. It was J.D. who broke it in his usual fashion.

"So your pa was a Texas Ranger? Wow, I'd like to talk to him about it."

"Don't think you'll get a chance," Buck said. "He headed for the hotel after dinner. I wouldn't go over and start askin' him questions. Some folks don't take too kindly to that."

"You're probably right," J.D. replied, looking crestfallen, for a moment. "Maybe he'll come down for a drink. Then it would just be friendly conversation."

"In the meantime, how about one last game of poker," Ezra suggested, pulling cards out of his pocket.

"Need to get stuff ready," Vin said. "Might be back later." He rose and headed outside. He was ready to go, having spent part of the afternoon gathering his stuff, but he didn't want to leave with strain between himself and Chris.

Looking up and down the street, he spotted Chris headed into the stables, carrying a saddlebag. He quickly followed. He found him, saddling his horse.

"Not goin' to stick around to say good-bye?" Vin asked.

"Can't stand watching you make a fool of yourself," Chris retorted. "Going off with a stranger like this."

"You know somethin' about him that I don't?" Vin asked.

Chris stopped saddling his horse. "No," he admitted reluctantly. He struggled with what he was feeling. "Just don't seem right. Nothing I can put my finger on."

"It's jest for a while," Vin said. "Give me a chance to get to know him."

"And what if you can't find this Samuels guy?" Chris asked.

"Don't plan on spendin' the rest of my life lookin' for him," Vin said. "If'n we don't find him in a few months, I'll head back here."

"Let us know how it's going," Chris suggested. "You need help, you know we'll come."

"I know," Vin said, reaching out his hand to grasp Larabee's forearm in a strong grip. Chris returned the movement, and they stood there for a long moment.

It was Chris who released his grip first. "Guess maybe I'll stick around after all. Got a friend heading out in the morning."

Vin smirked. "Don't you mean a fool?"

"If you say so. How about a drink? I'm sure that Ezra is still looking for some fools to play poker with him."

"We'd be fools to play with him, all right," Vin agreed. "I'm willin' to risk it, if you are? Got to live dangerously sometimes."

"Speak for yourself, Tanner," Chris growled.

"Ha! You like a little danger, jest like the rest of us," Vin retorted.

"But I'll never admit it," Chris answered. "Let's go."

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

The poker game ran through the night. Inez gave up around 1:00 in the morning, just telling them to help themselves and lock up if they decided to call it quits.

While not spoken, none of them seemed to want to lose any time they could spend with the soon-departing tracker. While Vin couldn't prove it, he wondered if Ezra was cheating to keep the game going. Vin couldn't help but notice that whenever one of them would be almost out of money, they would win the next pot so they'd have money to keep playing. His own stack of money also seemed to be growing to almost double the size it had started out. He usually wasn't that lucky. And most of the money seemed to be coming from Ezra's stack of coins.

Vin glanced out the door and noticed the sky was starting to lighten. "Guess I need to get ready ta go." It would be a long day in the saddle without any sleep, but it wouldn't be the first time.

Slowly the rest of the men pushed back from the table.

"I'll saddle your horse," J.D. volunteered, before almost rushing out of the saloon.

"Boy's gonna miss you," Buck said. "Anythin' else we can help you with?"

"Nope. Jest need to get my stuff from my wagon." Vin looked at the rest of the men, then turned and left without saying another word. If he hung around here too long, he might change his mind.

Once he reached his wagon, he grabbed his saddlebags, and quickly stuffed clothing, ammunition, and food into them. Throwing the bags over his shoulder, he headed for the stable where he could see J.D. and the others waiting with his horse. Yosemite was just walking Jim Tanner's horse out of the stable, although there was no sign of Jim Tanner at the moment.

He slowly approached his friends. This was going to be harder than he thought. Buck took his saddlebags from his shoulder and turned to fasten them to the back of Vin's saddle.

Nathan passed over a small package. "Here's some herbs, and ointments, and bandages... jest in case."

"Thanks, Nathan." Vin passed it over to Buck who added it to one of the saddlebag pockets.

Josiah also passed over a wrapped cloth package. "Some biscuits and bacon for breakfast," he explained.

"Thanks, Josiah." He looked around the six other men. He could see Jim Tanner walking down from the hotel. "Guess this is it." He took the reins of his horse from J.D. "Thanks," he added.

Jim Tanner joined them. "Ready to go?"

"Yep." Vin swung up in his saddle as did Jim. One more time he looked at the faces of the men who were closer to him than anyone had ever been. "Keep out of trouble while I's gone," he finally said.

"Watch your back," Chris warned.

"Let's go," Jim said, edging his horse around the group.

Vin lifted two fingers to his hat in salute. Ezra returned the salute, the others just stood and watched. Vin signaled to his horse and started walking away.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

It had been a long day in the saddle. They'd stopped at various towns as they worked their way south, but didn't spend much time in any town once they checked out the saloon, and general store to ask questions.

Vin let his father take the lead as they rode. It told him more about the man than he realized. He was obviously used to covering long distances on his horse, settling into a pace that covered distance but didn't wear down the horse. He was also constantly looking around, keeping an eye on his surroundings at all time.

Dusk was setting in, when Jim pulled up near a small lake surrounded by trees. "Looks like a good place to spend the night," he said as he dismounted.

"Yep," Vin agreed, glad they weren't going to keep going to the next town. After a night with no sleep, he was ready to stop. "I'll fetch some firewood."

He swung down from his horse and walked around, collecting wood for the fire as well as relieving himself in the privacy of the woods. By the time he got back to camp, Jim had unsaddled his horse, and cleaned and spitted a rabbit that Vin had shot earlier in the day. He'd also prepared a pot of coffee, and set up a ring of rocks for the fire.

Vin unsaddled his horse, giving it a good rubdown while Jim started the fire. Once done, he took his saddle and bedroll over near the fire. He cleared a space near the flames, knowing the night would be cool. He placed his saddle so he could lean back against it. Jim had a similar setup on his side of the fire.

He took his own canteens down to the lake and filled them, splashing water on his face to wash off some of the trail dust. Then he came back and took both horses down to let them drink their fill, before setting up a picket line which would let the horses graze, as well as reach the water.

By the time he got back to camp, the rabbit was starting to smell good, juices dripping off to sizzle in the fire. It wouldn't be much longer before it would be ready.

"What if Samuels hasn't made it this far?" Vin asked as he lowered himself to the ground.

"All we can do is keep askin' around. If we don't get any info in Purgatorio, then maybe we'll head further east instead."

"It's a big territory," Vin pointed out. "Lots of places he could hang out. He could be anywhere."

"Don't plan on givin' up."

"I came with ya, but I ain't makin' this my life work. Got a home and friends I wanta get back to," Vin said. "If'n we don't got somethin' firm by six months, I'll be headed back."

"Even though he ruined our lives? Not just mine! Yours, too! We could have had all those years together."

"Maybe. But it we jest keep wanderin' 'round in hopes of findin' him, wouldn't that be ruinin' more of our lives? Ain't it better to move on? Settle down? You'd be welcome in our town. Could always use more law abidin' people."

"Not if Larabee has his say," Jim pointed out. "Didn't seem too welcomin'."

"He's jest bein' a might protective. Don't trust easily."

Jim snorted in derision. "A might protective is a major understatement."

Vin shrugged. "Jest think on it."

"Fair enough. That rabbit is looking done... ready to eat?"

"Smells good." Vin pulled out his knife and cut a hunk off the rabbit. Jim did the same from his side.

"Coffee?" Jim held up the pot.

"Always," Vin replied, holding out his cup to be filled. "You not drinkin' any?" as he noticed that Jim hadn't filled his cup.

"After I eat," he explained.

Vin shrugged at the oddity, but it wasn't going to stop him. He took a big swig of the coffee and then almost spit it out. While he liked his coffee strong, this was much stronger than he was used to. And there was a bitter taste. He managed to swallow the brew, then took a bite of rabbit to clear the taste out of his mouth.

"Something wrong with the coffee?" Jim asked.

"Jest a tad strong." He didn't want to seem too critical of Jim until they got to know each other better.

"Sorry. Like it that way. Guess it's time to clean the pot out. Didn't really matter when I was traveling alone." He held out a flask of whiskey. "Here, this will make it taste better."

Vin accepted the splash into his cup, and had to admit it did help some. They continued to eat in silence, and Vin managed to drain his coffee cup. When Jim poured himself a cup, Vin accepted another cup even though he really didn't like it. But he did like the splash of whiskey. The first cup had made him feel very relaxed.

Vin was finding it hard to stay awake as he consumed the second cup. He knew he was tired, but he'd often gone this long without sleep before, so he couldn't understand why today would be any different. Suddenly, the coffee cup slipped through his fingers. He couldn't seem to hold his head up anymore, and slowly sank to his side, fighting to keep his eyes open. What would his pa think of him if he couldn't stay awake?

"Don't fight it," Jim said from a long distance away.

Vin managed to pry his eyes open long enough to see him pour his coffee on the ground. It was the last thing he remembered.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

J.D. was confused. He finally decided to take his findings to Chris and Buck. As usual, since it was right after dinner, they were both in the saloon. Buck was chatting up a new saloon girl, and Chris was brooding in the shadows at a table by himself. Knowing how upset Buck would be to be disturbed by something that he thought J.D. could have figured out on his own, he headed over to Chris.

"Chris, can I ask you something?"

The gunslinger didn't even look up. "What?"

"Um... I was looking through the old wanted posters. Figured there should be one for Samuels if he was a rustler, but I couldn't find one."

That got the gunslinger's attention. "None?"

"Not even for a different name. I mean there's lots of posters for rustling, but nothing from Texas that matches the description we were given."

"Send a telegraph to the Texas Ranger station. See what they have to say about Samuels."

"Sure thing, Chris," J.D. said before running out of the saloon.

Ezra came over to join him. "What has caused our young sheriff to become so excited?"

"He couldn't find any wanted posted for Samuels. He's going to check with the Rangers to see if he's really wanted."

"You think this was all a ploy to get Mr. Tanner out of town on his own?" Ezra asked.

"Possibly. Round up Nathan and Josiah. Time for us to compare notes." Chris signaled to Buck, who reluctantly left the saloon girl to join him as Ezra exited the room.

"May have found something strange about Jim Tanner," Chris explained. "Ezra went to get Nathan and Josiah."

Fifteen minutes later, they were all gathered except for J.D.

Chris explained. "J.D. decided to look for a wanted posted for Samuels. He can't find anything."

"Now, Chris, that's not hard to explain," Buck cajoled. "Not every poster, 'specially those from Texas would get up here."

"But Samuels was supposedly seen not far from here," Chris insisted. "You'd think they would make sure all the local sheriffs had a fresh one."

"You're grasping at straws," Josiah said, gently.

"What did Vin know about this man?" Chris asked. "What convinced him that he was his father?"

Before anyone could answer, J.D. burst through the door, waving a telegram in his hand. "Texas says Samuels was a Ranger but quit about ten years ago. He's not wanted for anything."

"So, Tanner lied about that," Chris slammed his fist on to the table. "Back to my question, what convinced Vin that the man was his father?"

"Mr. Tanner told me that the man knew things about his mother," Ezra added. "He did not elucidate on those things."

"He had a watch... said it belonged to Vin's grandpa," J.D. said. "It had a picture of Vin's ma in it. Surely that would be proof. Vin would recognize his own ma, wouldn't he?"

Chris sighed in frustration. That evidence was hard to fake.

"How old was Vin when his ma died? Could he be mistaken about the picture?" Josiah asked.

"Wait a minute!" Ezra suddenly exclaimed. "How could he have this watch? Mr. Tanner told me that the man had been confined for ten years in a Mexican prison!" He looked around at the other man who only looked perplexed. "Think about it. If he truly was in a Mexican prison, how could he have held on to the watch? Surely they would have confiscated it when he was imprisoned."

"Yer right," Buck exclaimed. "No prison guard is gonna let somethin' valuable like an old watch be left with a prisoner."

"And by the time he supposedly got out of prison, Vin's ma would have been dead and all her property would have been sold or given to relatives," Josiah added.

"Doesn't that just prove he's lying about where he's been?" J.D. asked. "Maybe he's just too ashamed that he ran off and left his wife and son behind?"

"Possibly," Chris said. "But the man's been lying through his teeth. Why make up that whole bit about looking for Samuels unless he wants to get Vin to leave town alone with him?"

The telegraph operator burst through the batwing doors with another telegram. Panting, he handed it to J.D. who passed a coin over to him.

"What's that?" Buck asked.

"I asked for more info on Samuels and Tanner." He read the telegram quickly, then read it again.

"What's it say?" Buck said, reaching out to swat at J.D.'s head.

"Description of Samuels-sounds just like Jim Tanner. One of the Rangers remembered Tanner... said he was blond and had a scar on one cheek. He went missing over fifteen years ago."

"Damn!" Chris surged to his feet. "Vin is out there with Samuels. I'm thinking the only thing that was a lie was his real identity. I'll bet he did set up Jim Tanner all those years ago. Let's ride, boys. We have lots of ground to make up."

They all stormed out of the saloon, and soon were galloping out of town. Without their tracker, they would have a much more difficult time finding the two men.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Vin groaned as a shaft of sunlight struck his eyes. He tried to raise a hand to block it but it wouldn't move. He struggled to open his eyes as he fought against the pounding pain filling his head.

"'Bout time you woke up. I was beginnin' to wonder if I'd given you too much laudanum and whiskey."

"Huh?" Vin mumbled, as he struggled to move. For some reason when he tried to move his hands, he felt a tugging at his feet. He could feel the roughness of rope surrounding his wrists. Something also seemed to be restricting his chest and arms.

It was hard to think clearly when his head was pounding. He hadn't felt this bad since the morning after he'd tried to keep up with Chris, Buck and Josiah during a drinking contest. Of course, if he remembered correctly, none of them had felt good the next morning either.

A sharp kick to his midsection brought an involuntary groan as well as helping to focus his mind.

"Time to get up. We've got a long way to go."

"Go where? And what's with the ropes?"

"We're going to Tascosa. You're wanted dead or alive. You'd be dead already, but I can't wait to see Jim Tanner's son hang."

"It's a long ways away, Samuels," Vin said, taking a stab at what the man's real name was as he struggled to sit up. Now that his eyes were more focused, he realized that he had rope wrapped around his chest and upper arms, as well as tying wrists and ankles together.

"Very good," Samuels said. "Surprised you figured it out so quick."

"So what's the real story 'bout what happened to my pa? He really in a Mexican jail? Or was that a lie as well?"

"Maybe if you're good... I'll tell you right before you swing."

"Even if I didn't do anythin' wrong in Tascosa? I just found the body... I didn't kill Jess Kincaid."

"I got a wanted poster that says otherwise. You're goin' to hang, and I will be there to watch it. In fact I'll be countin' the reward money while you're standin' there waitin' for the floor to drop. Maybe I'll even wave it at you."

"Ya sound like ya hate me, but we've never met before." He swallowed hard at the thought of a hangman's noose tightening around his throat.

"It was your father I hated!" Samuels started pacing back and forth. "I was all set to ask Meg to marry me. I'd just got back from a month-long patrol-one that your father should have taken but he'd gotten injured and couldn't take it. There was a dance that night, and there she was... dancin' cheek to cheek with your father. They'd gotten married that mornin'." He turned to face Vin as he shouted, "She should have been my wife! You would have been my son! Instead, I just got to watch them and their perfect life. And it was all your father's fault!"

"Geez... Ain't ya over-reactin' a little?" Vin quipped. "It's been over twenty years. Time ta get over it."

Samuels backhanded Vin across the face, splitting open his lip. "I'll get over it when you're dead." He reached down and untied Vin's legs, then pulled him up using the rope that was still tied to his wrists. "Let's go."

Vin spit out the blood in his mouth as he was pulled to his already-saddled horse. There was little he could do with Samuels walking four feet ahead of him, pulling him along like a dog on a leash.

"You can ride upright or over your saddle. Your choice," Samuels said.

Vin raised one foot to the stirrup, and struggled to mount with his arms tied at chest level. He felt Samuels push him from behind to aid him into the saddle. The man then tied the rope to the saddlehorn, anchoring him in place. Samuels then mounted his own horse, grabbed up the reins to Vin's horse, and kneed the horse into a trot.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Chris pulled up at a small stream to let his horse take a drink. The other five men did the same thing. So far, they knew they were on the right path. They'd asked at several towns and people had seen Vin and Samuels at some point the day before. They were still headed toward Purgatorio, but something didn't feel right.

They were still at least half a day behind. They'd made up some time by covering some of the distance the night before. They had to make do with just a few hours of sleep, but Vin and Samuels had a large head start on them.

"Do ya really think they're still headed for Purgatorio?" Buck asked as he stretched in his saddle.

"It all depends on whether this malefactor has revealed his heinous plan to Mr. Tanner," Ezra said. "Or if he has compatriots in Purgatorio who will assist with his nefarious schemes."

"Huh?" J.D. said.

"He said it all depends on whether he's already made his move or if he has friends in Purgatorio who are goin' to help him," Buck said.

"Or maybe he's waiting until they are further along before he'll make his move," Chris said.

"Maybe we should split up," Josiah suggested. "Half to continue on to Purgatorio, and the other half should head toward Tascosa."

"I'm headed to Tascosa," Chris announced. He couldn't explain why, but he just knew that was where he needed to be going.

"I concur," Ezra chimed in.

"I'll head for Purgatorio," Buck said. "J.D., you want to come with me?"

"Sure, Buck," J.D. said.

"Josiah? Nathan?" Chris asked.

"I'll go along with those two," Nathan said, nodding toward Buck and J.D. "They'll probably get inta trouble in a place like Purgatorio. Might need some patchin' up."

"I guess that means I'm with you, Chris," Josiah said.

"All right, keep checking each town as you come to it. If they haven't been through, then head toward Tascosa as well. Let's ride." Chris pulled his horse's head up from the stream, and urged it into a gallop.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Vin had a long day in the saddle to try to come up with an escape plan. While he could easily kick Samuels away when he came to untie him from his horse, it would be too dangerous to try to run with his horse's reins dangling down in front of him. It would be too easy for the horse to get tangled up, and go down hard.

He probably had five or six days until they reached Tascosa. It all depended on how long Samuels would keep riding each day. If the man really had been a Texas Ranger-and he had seen nothing to suggest otherwise-then it was going to be difficult to get away.

He couldn't count on help from any local law. Technically, Samuels wasn't doing anything illegal. After all, Vin had a bounty on his head-dead or alive. Being a bounty hunter wasn't against the law. It wasn't like he had any proof that Samuels had been a rustler, or had anything to do with his father's disappearance-except maybe the watch. But he had no proof it had been his father's watch. It could have all been a story to gain his sympathy.

He'd gotten soft. He'd said it before when Yates had shown up in Four Corners. He'd lost his edge. Gotten too complacent knowing he had six friends to watch his back.

He was going to hang.

And this time, he couldn't count on Larabee coming to his aid like he had with Eli Joe.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Samuels must really hate him. He'd kept Vin in the saddle the entire day, except for a couple of short breaks to attend to nature's call. He had finally picked out a campsite, but left Vin sitting on his horse which was tied to a nearby tree while he had set up camp, and cooked dinner. The smell of the roasting deer was causing his stomach to rumble in protest. Other than some jerky, he'd had nothing to eat all day.

Finally, Samuels had come over and untied him from his saddle before stepping back and pulling his gun-the same procedure they'd followed each time they had stopped. Samuels kept hold of the trailing end of the rope wrapped around his wrists.

Vin dismounted by swinging his right leg over the horse's head, so he could drop down on both feet. It was the easiest way with his hands and arms tied. Samuels pointed with his gun to a bedroll spread out on the ground. Once Vin had settled down on the bedroll, Samuels pointed out the coffee cup and plate sitting on a log next to the bedroll.

"Eat."

Vin thought about dumping the food, but it smelled too good. And he needed to be able to keep his strength up. It was awkward, with the way he was tied, but he managed to eat the venison, and biscuit. He could have eaten more, but there was no way he would ask for any more. He finally reached for the coffee cup, but spit out his first sip. He could taste the laudanum and whiskey in it.

"Drink it!" Samuels cocked his gun.

Not knowing what to do, Vin drank down the mixture. Samuels poured him another cup and indicated that Vin needed to drink that as well. It was pretty obvious that Samuels planned to keep him unconscious whenever they stopped for the night. So much for the idea of getting the drop on Samuels while he slept.

A short time later, Vin fell into a drugged sleep, only waking to a kick to his side the next morning, which ended up in a repeat of the day before.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Chris had pushed them and their horses hard. Ezra wasn't sure how much longer they could keep up this pace without killing their steeds. With none of them being very good at tracking, there wasn't even any way to know if they were on the right track or not. They'd passed through several towns along their way, but no one had seen Samuels and Tanner. They might have been bypassing towns, or else they hadn't come this way.

It might get him shot, but Ezra was going to demand a longer rest that night. They would be little use to Vin if they ended up afoot when their horses collapsed. This would be their third night camping out. At least they were buying food to eat as they passed through the towns.

He took a deep breath before calling out, "Mr. Larabee!"

Chris slowed down to a walk and looked back over his shoulder.

"I strongly suggest we make camp for the night. The horses need the rest."

"He's right," Josiah added in.

Chris looked like he was ready to argue, but he must have realized they were right. "All right, but let's get over this ridge, first. See if we can find some water."

"Very well, Mr. Larabee." Ezra figured it would take them approximately thirty minutes to finish their climb.

They worked their way up to the top, following Chris. When he pulled to a sudden stop, Ezra figured he was just trying to spot a water source. As he pulled his horse up next to him, he realized that wasn't what had drawn the gunslinger's attention.

Down below, a campfire seemed to light up the night.

"Do you think..." Ezra almost whispered.

"Maybe." Chris swung down off his horse, and quietly led it back the opposite direction, out of sight of the camp below.

"I will proceed on foot," Ezra suggested, "and scope out the campsite. If it is Mr. Tanner, I will return, post haste with any information I can ascertain so that we may devise a plan."

"Be subtle, Ezra," Josiah suggested.

Ezra saluted him with two fingers and a grin, remembering another rescue mission-except it had been Chris who needed to be rescued-and a small town sheriff, and his mother, profiting by arresting travelers in their town.

Quietly, he progressed downslope, toward the campfire. As he drew nearer, he could see two men, one already sleeping, and the other sitting on the far side of the campfire, still drinking coffee. Since he was staring into the flames, his night vision should be shot, making it difficult to spot the gambler as he crept nearer. Just to be sure, Ezra worked his way around so he would approach the campsite at an angle, so the man would not see him.

He was almost certain they had caught up with Samuels and Tanner, but he had to get closer to be sure. The man laying down looked like the tracker-at least the clothes did. He couldn't see his face, as he was sleeping on his side. Still many people wore buckskin colored clothes. And there was something strange about how he was laying... it didn't look natural.

He couldn't make out the face of the man sitting, since his hat was pulled low over his face. He was in just enough of a shadow to not be able to make out details.

A horse nickered nearby, startling Ezra. He hadn't realized he was so close to their animals. The man seated rose to his feet, placing a hand on his gun, although he didn't draw it. He moved toward the picket line.

Ezra ducked down behind a nearby bush. In the dark, he couldn't make out the horses' markings either, to know whether he could recognize them or not. It was possible that it was Vin's horse-that it had recognized a familiar scent as Ezra approached and that was why it had nickered.

Eventually, the man moved back to the campsite. He now had his back to Ezra as he drained his coffee cup, then slowly settled down on his bedroll, placing his hat over his face. If this was Samuels, he didn't look too worried about his companion getting away. And surely Vin would know that they were headed for Tascosa. He wouldn't be sleeping as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Ezra wished he could get a definitive identification of the two men. But he was afraid to move closer for fear that the horses would make some noise again. He slowly moved around the edges of the campsite, trying to spot anything that would tell him who these two men were.

Finally deciding he had to take a bigger risk, and get closer, Ezra moved into the actual campsite. In the quietness of the night, the sound of a gun being cocked seemed to boom like thunder.

"Hold it right there," Samuels ordered. "Turn around so I can see the sneakin' thief who thought he could rob me."

Ezra slowly raised his hands, then turned. "Really, suh, I was not trying to abscond with any of your possessions. I was merely trying to surprise my friend, Mr. Tanner. I found myself in this locale and could hardly believe my eyes when I spotted your campsite."

Samuels was still lying on his bedroll, but his gun was pointed directly at him. "Stop lying! Who else is with you?"

"I am alone," Ezra insisted. He started to lower his arms, but Samuels raised his gun, so he stopped. He couldn't believe Vin hadn't heard them and awakened.

"Whoever else is out there, you'd better come in before I kill this sneaking thief!" Samuels hollered out, as he rose to his feet.

Ezra swallowed hard. He doubted that Mr. Larabee would be close enough to hear. Was he about to die in this ignominious fashion? Shot as a common thief? And why wasn't Mr. Tanner waking up?

"This is just a misunderstanding," Ezra insisted. "I am unaccompanied."

"Yeah... even by a horse. Where did you stash it before you tried to rob me? Most friends I know would have ridden into the camp after announcin' themselves." He looked around again. "Last chance! Give yourselves up before I kill him, and then I'll kill Tanner too!"

"No need to do that."

From the corner of his eye, Ezra spotted Chris stepping out of the shadows.

"Well, if it isn't the great Larabee," Samuels gloated as he brought his gun over to aim at the gunfighter. "Where's the rest of your men?"

"We split up in pairs," Larabee said. "Figured we'd have a better chance of finding you, Samuels."

"So, you know the truth. What gave me away?"

"The watch. You wouldn't have managed to keep it after years of being in a Mexican prison."

"Good point. I had to keep it hidden for so many years-I couldn't explain to anyone how I had come by it. Now, I can enjoy it as often as I wish."

"Not for much longer," Chris promised, staring at the other man with a deadly glare. "What have you done to Vin?"

"He's just sleepin'. Since I'm the one with the gun," Samuels pointed out, "why don't you and Standish drop your gunbelts. Nice and easy." He moved his gun toward Tanner. "Or maybe I'll just shoot Tanner. I'd rather kill you while Tanner watches, but if necessary, I'll kill you now."

"You can't kill all of us before we kill you," Chris said nonchalantly. "Put your gun away, Samuels."

"Then which one of you wants to die first?"

Ezra felt a sense of déjà vu. He could remember saying that many times before in similar situations. He'd come out on the top, but it had been close. Now, he was on the opposite side.

"How about you?" came from the shadows behind Samuels. Josiah emerged from the darkness, gun drawn and pointing at the man.

Samuels slowly lowered his gun. "So, now what? I haven't broken any laws. It's not illegal to be a bounty hunter, and from what I've heard, you aren't the type of guys who would just kill someone you don't like."

"Let me just relieve you of your weapon," Ezra said. "Obviously, you cannot be trusted with it." He took the gun that Samuels reluctantly handed over. "Have a seat."

Samuels sank down on his bedroll.

Chris moved over to Vin's side. Once he spotted the ropes, he knelt down and quickly untied his friend.

"He's my prisoner," Samuels protested, starting to rise. He settled back down when Josiah cocked his gun behind him.

"He's my friend, and he's innocent," Chris snapped back. Vin appeared to be breathing normally, so Chris tried to shake him awake. When that didn't work, he slapped the young man's face several times. Still no response. "What's wrong with him?" he growled at Samuels.

"Laudanum and whiskey. That way I knew I could sleep without worryin' about him attackin' me. He'll be fine in the morning."

"He'd better be."

"Now that we've caught up with this misbegotten cretin, what are we going to do with him?" Ezra asked. "Technically, he hasn't broken any laws... that we know of."

"Unless the tale he told Vin was true. According to him, Samuels was involved in cattle and horse rustling, and caused his father to be falsely imprisoned."

"It was just a story I made up. Tanner disappeared years ago during a patrol he was on."

"And yet, you have in your possession, Jim Tanner's pocketwatch," Ezra stated.

"That's another lie I made up," Samuels protested. "I just put his wife's picture in my watch. I was in love with her. I was goin' to ask her to marry me! Instead I had to watch them live their happy little lives while I was at best a guest in their home once in a while."

"You loved her so much, that you are willing to turn her son over to be hanged for a bounty?" Josiah asked. "You wanted to kill her son's friends in front of him. Doesn't sound like love to me."

"Spare me from having anyone love me that much. Mr. Larabee, I thought you were going to wait until I had reconnoitered the situation," Ezra said, unhappy that they hadn't trusted him with the task.

"Decided you were taking too long, so we moved closer to see what was happening," Josiah said. "You know how Chris hates to wait."

"Good thing we did, too," Chris said.

"I'll go fetch our horses," Josiah suggested. "Keep your eye on him."

"Assuredly," Ezra said, pulling his own revolver.

"Thanks, Josiah," Chris said. He settled down near Tanner, obviously intending on keeping an eye on the young man until he woke up.

Once Josiah got back with the horses and their supplies, he set about heating up their dinner that he'd removed from his saddlebags. Soon beans and meat were heating over a renewed campfire. Samuels had remained quiet, calmly watching the other men from his side of the fire.

"You know, Ezra," Chris finally said, "Vin was telling me of some of the gruesome things he learned while he was living with the Indians. Planned on using some of them on Eli Joe to get him to talk but he never got the chance."

"Do tell, Mr. Larabee," Ezra replied, playing along.

"Bet Vin would like a chance to take his revenge against the man who lied to him about his pa. Bet he could get the real truth out of him."

"Undoubtedly."

"Why does Vin get all the fun? I haven't had a chance to cut anyone in a long time." Josiah pulled out his long knife and inspected it.

"Now, Josiah, since Vin's pa is involved, he gets first chance. But maybe he'll let you have a chance. Who knows how long it will take to get Samuels to tell the real story about Jim Tanner."

"I suppose... but since Vin probably won't wake up until morning, maybe I could start now," Josiah said, walking toward the other man, knife gleaming in the firelight. "If we wait too long, Nathan and the others might catch up. You know what Nathan can do with those scalpels of his."

Chris shuddered visibly. "Don't remind me."

"If I were you, Mr. Samuels," Ezra said. "I would start talking as fast as possible."

"You don't scare me," Samuels said. "I've heard all about you seven. You won't hurt me."

"If we don't scare him," Ezra said, "then I suggest we leave him for Mr. Tanner." Ezra pulled the tortillas they had purchased earlier that day from his saddlebag, and spooned some of the now warm bean and meat mixture onto it. "Besides, I'd prefer to enjoy my dinner. If Mr. Sanchez starts in on Samuels, there will be a lot of screaming, and blood. Hardly conducive to good digestion."

"True," Chris agreed as he prepared his own tortilla. "'Sides, I'd like to see some of those Kiowa tricks. Guess we'll wait for Vin."

"In that case," Josiah said. "I suggest we tie him up and wait for Vin to wake up."

Chris tossed him the ropes that had bound Vin. "I'll take last watch." He went over to unsaddle his horse, and returned with saddle and bedroll, spreading it out next to Vin.

Josiah finished tying up Samuels. He turned to Ezra. "You want first watch or second?"

"Heaven forbid that I should be allowed my well deserved slumber," Ezra protested. "I might as well take first watch and postpone the torture of sleeping on the ground once again."

"At least we don't have to go any further," Josiah pointed out.

"True. When I do take my repose, I can dream of renewing my acquaintance with my feather mattress."

Josiah laughed as he rolled out his bedroll. "You do that, Ez."

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Ezra helped himself to another tortilla. He couldn't wait until it was time to sleep so he could dream of getting back to well-prepared cuisine as well as his feather mattress. He looked across the fire at Samuels, who appeared to be sleeping. What were they going to do with the man? If they let him go, which he didn't think would go over too well with Larabee, he might come back for Vin. At next time, he might go for the 'dead' part of 'dead or alive'.

Arresting him would only be a temporary solution. If they couldn't get any evidence of his being involved with Jim Tanner's disappearance, he would end up being released and they would be back at square one. And he thought the man was too smart to fall for their threats of injury and harm. He'd apparently learned as much as he could about them.

That left killing him. Personally, he didn't think he could be involved with that, no matter how he despised the man.

So, what were they going to do?

Ezra walked around Samuels and wandered over to the horses, making sure they were all well tethered but still able to graze. He couldn't have had his back to the campsite for more than a few minutes but it was enough. His first indication of trouble was feeling his revolver being yanked out of his holster. A moment later, the gun came crashing down on his head.

Ezra slid to the ground, trying to maintain consciousness. Even though his head was spinning, he could still see Samuels headed back to the campsite, holding Ezra's gun. How had he got free? He had to do something, otherwise Samuels would probably kill all the rest of his friends.

He struggled to a kneeling position, trying to focus his eyes. Almost by reflex, he triggered the release of his derringer. It slid into his hand, and he quickly raised it. "Samuels," he managed to call out.

The man turned around, and Ezra fired. Unfortunately, he was too far away using the small derringer. He knew he had failed. His friends would be killed, and it would be his fault.

Another gunshot rent the night. Samuels slowly fell forward, revealing Chris Larabee still pointing his gun at the man. Realizing his shot had woken the gunfighter sent a wave of relief through the gambler. Slowly, he crumbled forward, sinking to the ground.

"Ezra, you all right?" Josiah asked, hurrying to his side.

Chris wasn't far behind. He paused by Samuels, and checked him before coming to Ezra's side.

"How is he?" he asked.

"I think he'll be okay... looks like Samuels hit him on his head."

"Let's get him back by the fire."

"I'm fine," Ezra insisted as he tried to rise to his feet. For some reason his legs weren't following his commands.

Together Chris and Josiah pulled Ezra to his feet, and helped him back to the campsite. They lowered him to Samuels' bedroll. Josiah fetched a canteen and cloth, and cleaned Ezra's wound.

"How did Samuels get free?" Chris asked.

Josiah picked up the rope that had been wrapped around Samuels' wrists. "Looks like the rope's been cut. He must have had a knife stashed somewhere."

"I only turned my back for a moment," Ezra murmured.

"It's not your fault, Ezra," Josiah said. "I should have checked him for other weapons."

"The only question now is who is going to tell Vin that Samuels is dead," Chris said, with a grin.

"I'm already injured," Ezra protested.

"You killed him, Chris," Josiah said. "Wouldn't want to be in your boots tomorrow when you have to tell Vin that."

"In that case, you can take care of the body." Chris settled back down on his bedroll. He suddenly sat back up, and climbed to his feet. "Forgot something." He walked over to Samuels body. Stooping down, he searched the man's pockets. A moment later, he held up the pocketwatch. "Think this belongs to Vin, now."

He returned to his bedroll, and settled down to sleep.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Chris was drinking coffee the next morning when he heard a groan come from Vin's direction. He reached over and poured another cup, before moving closer to Vin.

"'Bout time you woke up," Chris said.

Vin blinked his eyes several times. "'Bout time you got here, cowboy."

Chris grinned. "He just call me a cowboy?" he asked.

"Undoubtedly," Ezra replied.

Vin struggled to sit up. He held his head in his hands for several moments. When he finally lifted his head again, Chris handed him the coffee cup. Vin took a few sips before he asked, "Where's Samuels?"

"Dead," Chris replied. "He was going to kill the rest of us. I didn't have a choice."

Vin sighed. "So, I'll never know what really happened to my pa."

"So, Samuels didn't tell you what really happened?" Chris sighed. "I'm sorry, Vin."

"Not worth yer life," Vin said. "Or Ez's or Josiah's."

"Look at it this way, Vin," Josiah chimed in. "You never knew what happened to your father before Samuels came along. You are no worse off then you were before."

"And now you have this." Chris held out the watch.

Vin took it reverently in his hand. He opened it and gazed at the picture. "Don't know if it really was my pa's or not. But this is my ma's picture."

"We can send some telegrams when we get back. Maybe someone will remember the watch," Chris suggested. "You up to riding?"

"Sure, rode with worse hangovers than this," Vin said.

"What about you, Ezra?" Chris asked.

"What happened to Ez?" Vin asked.

"Samuels clouted him on the head," Josiah explained.

"Sorry, Ez."

"It was not your fault, Mr. Tanner. I let my attention wander momentarily, and suffered the consequences. As for riding, Mr. Larabee, I can manage."

"Let's ride, then!"

Chris and Josiah gathered up the rest of the gear, saddled horses, and prepared to break camp. Vin finished several more cups of coffee, before they were ready.

Finally they were all mounted, and they headed toward home.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

They took more time on the way back. There was no longer a sense of urgency. After a day of travel, they ran into Buck, J.D., and Nathan.

"Whoo whee," Buck called out with a big grin when he spotted the four of them. "Lookie at who they found."

"You okay, Vin?" J.D. called out.

"Jest fine."

"Yo' sho?" Nathan asked.

"It's Ez who got hit on the head," Vin protested.

"Ya seein' double? Or anythin' like that?" Nathan asked, trying to get closer to Ezra.

"I have no need of your services," Ezra said. "I am in fine fettle, now. I only desire to reach home, and the comforts it affords."

"Let's ride," Chris said with a wide grin. They were all back together again, safe and sound.

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Ezra looked around the saloon with satisfaction. They'd been back for several days, and things were settling back down into a routine again.

Vin and Chris was at one table, drinking silently while they kept their eyes on a group of cowboys who rode in earlier. So far, they were behaving.

Buck was chatting with one of the new saloon girls-nothing unusual there. Sooner or later, the other three would appear in the saloon. Maybe he could get a poker game going. As if by just thinking of him, J.D. appeared at the batwing doors. He looked inside, then barreled through the doors.

"Got a telegram from Texas!" he called across the saloon. He rushed over to the table and handed it to Chris.

Ezra and Buck joined them as Chris read it through.

"So? What does it say?" J.D. asked, finally.

Chris put the telegram on the table. "It's from the man who was captain of the Texas Ranger station posted in Summerfield, Texas when Tanner and Samuels were also Rangers there. Says Jim Tanner didn't return from a patrol over fifteen years ago. He was by himself. Harry Samuels was on a patrol at the same time. A few years later, they found a skeleton which they believe was Jim Tanner, based on the gunbelt which had the initials of J.T. If it was him, he was shot in the back."

"How could they tell that?" J.D. asked.

"You'd have to ask Nathan that," Buck said. "Does it say anything about the pocketwatch?"

"Yes, Jim Tanner had such a pocketwatch. Had his wife's picture in it. He had a habit of looking at it often. Would say good morning and good night to his wife's picture. That's why they didn't think the body was Jim Tanner's-no pocketwatch."

"So, the bastard shot Jim Tanner in the back, took the watch, and rode away," Buck said. "At least ya know he's not wastin' away in a Mexican prison, Vin."

"Yep."

"Ya gotta be happy to know what really happened," Buck insisted.

"Yep." Vin pushed away from the table. "Goin' fer a ride." He headed out of the saloon.

"What's botherin' him? He got the answers he wanted," Buck said.

Chris shrugged. "For a while, he could hope that he had kin alive. Now, there's no hope."

"Oh. Guess yer right," Buck said. "Never thought of it that way."

"So, it sounds like Mr. Samuels really was guilty of murder after all," Ezra said.

"That's what it sounds like ta me," Buck said. "Now, boys, I left a cute little filly just waitin' for a little strokin'."

"And I have some customers waiting to be relieved of their hard earned money," Ezra said, noticing several cowboys sitting at his poker table.

"Got to get back on patrol," J.D. said.

Chris watched them walk away before leaving the saloon. He had a feeling that he would find Vin in the stables. Sure enough, he found the tracker grooming his horse.

"Sorry, Vin."

"Fer what?"

"It must have been hard to hear that your pa was really dead."

Vin didn't reply for a while, seeming to need to concentrate on brushing every inch of his horse's hide. "Don't know why it should matter," he finally said. "Ain't like I knew the man."

"But a small part of you probably held on to the hope of meeting him someday."

Vin sighed. "Maybe."

"You know there's more than one type of family. You're young. Someday, you may have your own family. Until then, think about the six of us. We may not be blood kin, but we are a family of sorts."

"Does that mean I have to call ya pa?" Vin gave a wry grin.

"Don't make me shoot you," Chris growled.

"Okay, pa. You done jabberin' now? Ain't heard ya talk this much before."

"I've talked so much, I need a drink. You coming?"

"Still goin' fer a ride. Won't go far. I'll see ya in the saloon when I get back."

"Okay."

* M7 * M7 * M7 *

Ezra closed the door of his room, still counting his winnings for the night. He removed his jacket, and waistcoat, and sat down at the desk. He'd been thinking about this for a while, and he'd finally decided he was going to do it.

He pulled out some stationary, a quill pin, and ink.

"Dear Mother," he started. "A situation that occurred recently has brought the need for me to write." He briefly outlined the scam that Harry Samuels had pulled.

"So, in conclusion, surely you can understand why I feel the need to know the truth about my sire. I would not wish to someday run into a similar situation, and fall prey to some unscrupulous conman. Please respond as soon as possible."

He signed off on the letter, and before he could change his mind, he put the letter in an envelope, and sealed it. He would mail it tomorrow.

The End.


End file.
